Water wheel for generating electric current



April 26, 1932. A. A. SORENSON WATER WHEEL FOR GENERATING ELECTRIC CURRENT Filed Sept. '16, 1927 2 Sheets-11681;

Elm vented: Jret fl Smfinsonu Aprii 26 1932. A, A. SORENSON WATER WHEEL FOR GENERATING ELECTRIC CURRENT Filed Sept. 16. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 cfixel fl. Sorensom Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNLIED ST AXEL A. sonnnson, on KENNEDY, I E OT wa'rnn wnnnr. non GENERATING nnncrmocunnnn r Application filed September 16, 1927; Serial No..219,876.-

My invention; relates V. to water wheels for members carried by the buoyant element to operate the electric generators to make electric current. V

The buoyant element forms the body for holding the mechanism in a floating position virtually on top of the water in a stream or where the water is moving so as to operate the mechanism for rotating the generators.

It is also a feature of my invention to provide means for supporting the water wheel for generating electric current in a manner to compensate for the rise and fall of water to permit the generator to raise and lower by the action of the level of the water.

These features together with other details and objects of the invention will be more specifically and clearly set forth in the specification and claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification: V

Figure 1 is a plan view diagrammatically illustrating the water wheel for generating electric current positioned in a stream of water.

Figure 2 is a detail side View of a portion of the same.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the buoyant element with the other parts removed.-

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of a portion of my device.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective of a portion of my device.

Figure 6 is a sectional detail of one of the roller bearings for the wheels carrying the operating paddles.

In the drawings my electric generator A is illustrated in the plan view as it would appear positioned in a stream of water. The buoyant element B forms the main body of the device and is adapted to carry the operat- Swing chains 10which rotate over the sprocket wheels 12 in a. manner to. permit the paddle members 13 to be readily engaged'by; the waterl c V The sprocket, wheels 12 are carried "onthei operating. shafts 1 L and these shafts are; adapted to extend throughthebuoyant element Bi; which is provided with. a tubular-- 1 opening: 15 ;through which \theishaft 14- extends from one sideto the otherofthelbuoy. V antielementB; i i

The buoyant elementB isiin the'form of a tanks havingaztop. 16, ends 17 and a bottom a 18.; This buoyant element can be ofia rec tangular shape or any.- other. suitable i formation, and 3 the tubular openings 15: extend through. the same leaving the buoyant elenientrairtight, thus. toextendthrough the same.- V

I1provide'roller-bearings G which are held: by thelbolts -20;to the sides of thebuoyant-element B andpthese bearings C are adapted tosupport theshaftslh Theshafts 14Qsupport= permitting the. shaftsl i V the sprocket; wheels,12.iand.- the. sprocket wheel-scarrylthe chains 10.x The/roller bearings G can be of any suitableconstruction-and are adapted tospermitlthe. shafts 14-1to rotate veryk freely andaeasily so that lthesle ast movement ofthe water will cause thepaddles -13 to be -.C&l'1l9d in the direction ofsthe flow or movement of; the water: tourotate the-wheels l ofthegenerating device A i The enlarged tdetail einFigure 5 illustratesag portionof: one-of the paddle membersmlig showing the clamping and supporting 4116111 ber;22:for.the paddle which is a-Ipartofione ofthe links of the chains 10. In. thismanner; the paddle members 13 are supportediby the three. longitudinally. extending chains 10 which extend: oneitherside: and over the centerloifi-ithebuoyant element-B; f

The generatonA 1sprovided with one or more electric generators E of anyordinary Well known type which are supported onsuitable platforms attached "on-"forming a part of: thebuoyantmember B. Thegenerators E are connected a series ofgears. Frin aimanner so as to gear upsthetgenerators- E inrrel'ationa to the driving chains 10;;and:

gearsQlQ; Thus. when a the; paddles .13 are.

moved in a manner to operate the, driving chains 10 the chain of gears F cause the electric generators E to be rotated at a speed suflicient to generate electric current. The chain of gears F are of ordinary construction and are mounted in roller or ball bearings, not illustrated in the drawings, so that they will rotate very freely and the generators E may be also ball bearing mounted to permit the entire mechanism to be rotated with as little friction as possible.

The generator A is supported in the water preferably in a stream or river Where the water is moving fairly rapidly beneath the generator. This causes the operation of the paddles 13 to generate current from the dynamo E. I provide means for supporting the generator A inthestream which includes the cables 26 which extend to the wall 27 and which are connected to the perpendicular rod 28 in a manner to permit the entire generator to raise and lower according to the height of the water. This is accomplished by the cables 26 slidably engaging the rods 28. The-Walls 27 can be of-concrete or any other suitable material anchored in the stream. Obviously, the Walls may be substituted'by piles which can be driven into the stream in a manner to form anchors for teries or it may be used direct, as may be desired. The cost of maintaining the generator A is very low and the. real cost of the electric current made by the generator is mainly in the first cost of the equipment and 'to install the same.

Inaccordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my water wheel for generating electric current and while'I have illustrated a particular formation and construction of the parts in the drawings, I desire to have it understood that thesame are, only suggestive of a means of carrying out my invention and that various changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. In a device ofthe class described, a member adapted to be buoyantly and adjustably supported to the level of thewater within a stream to hold the vsame stationary, wide paddle members extending transversely across said member, a series of endless chains having. links therein adapted to carry and support said paddle members extending over the entire upper and lower surfaces of the buoyant member, and a series of vertically centrally disposed sprockets someof which extend through said buoyant-member adapt--- ed to carry said endless chains.-

to provide wide'paddle means on said chains,

and means for holding said buoyant member stationary in a stream of water in relation to the flow of the water.

AXEL A. SORENSON. 

